Ten Years
by gilmorefanforever
Summary: Like swallowing hot coffee, love takes you by surprise. But, with luck, it can also keep you warm for a long time. Java Junkie oneshot.


Ten Years

**Rating: **K

**Disclaimer: **Yeah... I own it... I'm also the Queen of England. And the president of the United States. And the sixth Beatle.

Woo! Oneshot! Bella (my muse) woke me up late at night with this one, going "Hey Sophie, remember that prompt Java gave you? Well..." And this fic was born. Just so you know, the aforementioned prompt was...

"Love is like swallowing coffee before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time." Java Junkie.

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Some people are just in love with being in love. Lorelai Gilmore happened to be one of those people. She loved the security of love, craved that feeling of being needed with every fiber of her being. For Lorelai, love was simple.

Luke Danes most certainly did not love being in love. This was due largely to the fact that, for him, love just never seemed to work out the way it was supposed to. He thought love was supposed to last forever, like his parents'. But all the times Luke had found himself in love (not that there were many), it hadn't lasted close to forever. Luke always found himself being left behind.

Obviously, neither of them had known what it was truly like to be in love. Luke would compare the moment he realized he was in love with Lorelai to being hit with a ton of bricks. Lorelai, however, found falling in love with Luke slightly more akin to burning her tongue on a hot cup of coffee. And, coincidentally, she had.

It was late one Friday night night. Lorelai bounced in, still in her Friday Night Dinner clothes, nearly an hour after closing. Not that that was a problem. Luke had been expecting her.

They greeted each other with a kiss, and Lorelai sat down on the stool she had claimed as her own, a smile crossing her face.

"The coffee maker's still on," she remarked. Luke shrugged.

"You said you were going to stop by. It's Friday, I figured you'd need it." She laughed. "How was dinner, by the way?" he asked as he reached behind his back, grabbing her coffee cup and placing it in front of her.

"Dinner actually wasn't that bad," she admitted. "The list of 'places I would rather be than here' was shortened considerably."

"Oh?"

"Oh yeah," she told him. "Hell was crossed off the list. As was 'toxic wasteland'. 'Alone in a room with Kirk and Taylor'? Buh-bye." Luke shook his head.

"Do I even want to know why that last one was even on the list in the first place?" he asked. Lorelai laughed.

"Well, would _you _want to be alone in a room with Kirk and Taylor?" Luke chuckled.

"I _have_ been alone in a room with Kirk and Taylor."

"And it wasn't very pleasant, now was it?" Luke shook his head amusedly. "See?"

"Crazy lady," he murmered. Lorelai flashed him a smile.

"Yes. But I'm _your _crazy lady." Luke filled her mug to the brim with steaming coffee.

"That you are." Lorelai sighed and took a moment to study her boyfriend. He was clad in his usual flannel. The one Lorelai thought it was cruel of him to wear daily. He was denying the poor women of Star's Hollow quite a sight. Her eyes moved to the stubble that covered his jaw. It was obvious he hadn't shaved that morning. Her gaze lingered on his eyes. Lorelai absolutely adored Luke's eyes. They were such a bright shade of blue. They lit up when he ranted, and when he was happy. They lit up when he saw her. Finally, Lorelai stared at the blue baseball cap on his head. The one she had given him. The one he had worn everyday since.

"I love you," she whispered, not even fully comprehending what was coming out of his mouth.

"What?" Luke asked, his eyes widening. Lorelai's widened as well when she realized what she had said.

"I... I..." Hoping to buy herself time, she took a large gulp of coffee, failing to remember that coffee was _hot_. The liquid scalded her tongue, and she gasped, tears springing to her eyes.

"Lorelai!" Luke exclaimed. She held up her hand, and took a few gasps of air, attempting to cool down her mouth. Finally, she chuckled.

"That was stupid," she said. She smiled up at him, but Luke's face remained serious.

"Lorelai... did you just say what I think you said?"

"That was stupid?" she offered weakly. Luke shook his head.

"You... you said that you... you..."

"Loved you," Lorelai finished. Luke nodded, his eyes never leaving Lorelai's face. Lorelai began to babble nervously. "I know you're probably thinking that it's too soon-- hell, even I'm shocked I said it-- but when you think about it, it's not too soon at all! I mean, we've know each other for over eight years! Eight years, Luke! That's nearly a quarter of my life! Long time to know a guy, don't you think? And we've been dating for a few months... Luke, you've always been there for me. Always. I have no reason not to love you! Wow, love. I love you!" She chuckled. "Wow." She looked up at Luke, who had a slightly amused smile on his face. "Luke?"

"Hmm?" She took a deep breath.

"What do you have to say about... that?" she asked.

"Well... I suppose I'm very relieved you feel that way."

"But do you...?" Luke looked her directly in the eye.

"Since the day we met." Lorelai swore her heart skip a beat. "Now drink your coffee. And try not to burn yourself this time." He turned away from her, continuing to clean the diner, and Lorelai picked up her mug and took a sip, grinning.

Just over two years later, Lorelai Gilmore found herself sitting on the same stool, in the same diner, grinning happily at the same man. Some things had changed over the course of two years. Both found new titles added to their resumes. After a few stupid mistakes, Lorelai had 'divorcee' under her belt. And Luke now was known as 'Dad'. But despite that, some things can never change.

"Luke?" she called.

"Hmm?" he replied, turning away from his cleaning to look at her.

"You know I love you, right?" Luke smiled for a second, then nodded. "And how do you feel about that?" she asked. Luke sighed.

"Lorelai, do I really need to answer that?" She shrugged.

"It's nice to hear it sometimes." Luke sighed again, but then grinned.

"Ten years, Lorelai. Ten years." Lorelai smiled. "Now drink your coffee."

Like swallowing hot coffee, love takes you by surprise. But, with luck, it can also keep you warm for a long time.

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